Every day I deal with challenges large and small, and so does everyone else ...

Monday, August 21, 2006

Right now my challenges are much more localized. Today I was home with my two youngest kids. The other kids were with DH. I can have wells and wells of patience for the little one. She's almost two-and-a-half. She demands a LOT of patience. But I have it. I can be patient with her. I can even enjoy her little thunderstorms of frustration. They pass relatively easily, or we can help her with her frustration. The next one up, he's a big challenge. I have NO patience for him, and he really needs it. Today it was him and his hands - touching things that don't belong to him. It's turned into a mantra for the whole family. Even the baby knows: "If it's not yours, don't touch it." But he just can't control himself. I find myself screaming. We're trying really hard not to raise our voices but I just lost it today. Finally I sent him to his room and he actually kept himself harmlessly busy for a while.

Here is a list of daily challenges:Getting the children or child out of the house on time, with whatever they're supposed to have with themKeeping the ones who don't have anything formal to do busyPreparing lunch by remote control (I'm at work, most of the family is home)Planning dinner on the flyDealing with the heat. It's HOT here. Awful.Eating what I should, and avoiding what I should not eatGetting people to bed when they need to go (including myself)Keeping calm/not raising my voiceNot getting involved in the kids' perpetual fightsand so on